What does this mean for the Church?
A nationwide survey of U.S. religious leaders has uncovered marked differences in theological convictions across denominational lines. For example, only around 25% of Catholic priests and Mainline Protestant pastors expressed certainty that Adam and Eve were actual historical people. In contrast, strong belief in their literal existence was reported by 80% of Evangelical clergy and 89% of Black Protestant ministers. These results point to substantial divergence in foundational Christian teachings across various faith traditions.
Significant variation also emerged in beliefs regarding essential doctrines such as Hell, divine miracles, and the nature of God. An overwhelming majority of Evangelical pastors (93%) and a substantial majority of Catholic priests (70%) affirmed a definite belief in Hell, while fewer than half of Mainline Protestant clergy shared that conviction. Confidence in miraculous healing was also most prevalent among Evangelical and Catholic leaders, with much less certainty expressed by Mainline Protestants. When it came to belief in God’s existence, Evangelical and Black Protestant clergy were again the most assured. By contrast, many non-Christian leaders identified as agnostic or described their belief in terms of a general higher power rather than a personal deity.
The survey also explored views on the Bible’s nature and authority. Respondents typically fell into three groups: those who saw the Bible as the literal Word of God, those who considered it divinely inspired but largely symbolic, and those who believed its message was shaped by its historical and cultural context. Evangelical and Black Protestant clergy were most likely to select the inspired-but-symbolic interpretation, while Catholic leaders were split between that and the contextual approach. Mainline Protestant pastors leaned most heavily toward the culturally-influenced perspective.
Beliefs about the Bible and core doctrines often influenced attitudes toward evangelism. Evangelical clergy were the most likely to see their faith as universally true and to advocate for actively sharing it with others. On the other hand, Catholic and Mainline Protestant leaders were generally more reserved about claims of religious superiority or efforts to convert others. Among non-Christian religious leaders, few supported proselytizing or the notion of exclusive religious truth.
These findings mirror results from a separate 2022 survey by Arizona Christian University, which found that only 37% of Christian pastors maintained a traditional biblical worldview. The remainder embraced a mix of beliefs, a trend labeled “Syncretism.” That study emphasized a pressing concern: many clergy appear to lack a consistent theological framework, signaling a need for renewed spiritual grounding among church leaders.